Pregnant female (well I’d hope female)

[jewels1171]

Hi everyone! I have breed 3 litters, and I’m expecting my last litter any day now. Opal weighed about 62 grams before being pregnant, and is now 83! She feels very heavy, I can see some of her teats. She has never had a litter before, but I’m wondering about how many pups she will have. Her sister Ember had 2 litters, 6 pups first, 7 pups her second, and she was about 63 grams before pregnant, and got up to like upper 70s grams. 
     I am really exited as Opal’s mate Oakley, we weren’t  sure if he was going to be able to reproduce, as he was the only male in his litter and he was inbred. 
     I am also wondering if anyone knows much about genetics and what colors I could get? Opal is a pied nutmeg, and Oakley is a Burmese. Oakleys parents were colorpoint nutmeg and pied dove, and Opal’s parents are unknown, but her sisters were black and slate. Her brother was lilac.  In her sister Ember’s litter (slate mom,pied dove dad) and she Had mainly doves and pied slates and doves, but also had 2 lilacs, so maybe that can help? I tend to blabber on about my gerbils, so I’m sorry if this doesn’t make much sense lol

[betty]

I have never kept a note of weight gained compared to pup numbers - so no idea on that one. Never really thought it was something worth recording - but would certainly be intersting none-the-less if you were to do it?

As for genetics:

Nutmeg:  aa C*           ee P* Uw*
Burmese: aa c^chmc^chm Ee Pp Uw*


This would make pups most likely be: Black and Nutmeg for sure.

Other possibilities would include Sapphire, Saffron - and less likely but still possible: Burmese, CP Nutmeg and PEW (although some less likely if you had actual Lilacs in the line).

[jewels1171]

Ok, thank you!

[jewels1171]

Can I see a pic of a saffron gerbil?

[betty]

Go onto Shoooting Star's website for more colours...

Saffron Gerbil

[jewels1171]

[jewels1171]

Somehow my pic posted!!! yay!!

[jewels1171]

3 days old today, any idea what on earth they are going to be like when they adults?

[betty]

I am useless at telling colours from images - and pups I don't even try - but from your list of possibles we can certainly cross some off as they both look like they have dark eyes (so that is Sapphire, Saffron, and Lilac gone).

They also have obvious colour - but gingers and white don't show for days afterwards (so nutmeg, CP nutmeg and PEWs are out too).

That leaves only Black and Burmese as most likely.

[betty]

3 days older - any change in colour yet?

[jewels1171]

Yes, here is a picture

[jewels1171]

Thinking both pied blacks or slates... funny thing, always had slates, never blacks!

[betty]

Bless - and yes, look Black or Slate for sure.